Prices have been rising faster than expected in recent months in certain areas of the economy, and one of the factors driving prices higher is increased shipping costs. This weeks chart of the week shows container freights costs, which have risen 580% from pre-pandemic levels. Port closures due to COVID, high demand as the economy reopens, a shortage of containers, and various other inefficiencies as global trade tries to return to normal are all driving prices higher.
Source: Cornerstone Macro